Writers Colony Nigeria or NiWco for short is a community of young vibrant Nigerian writers committed to birthing, nurturing, grooming and launching the next generation of wordsmiths who believe in networking and putting team work amongst creatives at the fore to enable our passion yield profit. Come on this journey with us - we welcome readers and writers alike.
Please do leave a comment, subscribe and share what you like with your personal audience.

THE FOURTH WALL - AN INTERESTING TIME WITH YELE BALOGUN

TUESDAYS 7PM

AN INTERESTING TIME WITH YELE BALOGUN

There are no words to describe the man I am about to
introduce to you but let me tell you for sure that my story will be incomplete
without him in it. I have never met anyone more passionate and committed to
developing the arts and leaving a legacy for his unborn generation.

Uncle Yele as I fondly call him, is one of my mentors and
one of those whom I have learnt a great deal from and whom this page is not
enough; to describe but enough talking now, why not enjoy a piece of the cake I
have stolen from his wealth of knowledge – just for you?

I am still waiting for a woman to break the lineup of manly
interviews. If you are a female in the entertainment industry, hit me up. I
want to hear and share your story too.

Sandra T. Adeyeye: Please how would you like to be
introduced?

YELE:I am Yele
Balogun.

Sandra T. Adeyeye: Did you study theatre art?

Yele: I studied English Language at my NCE and degree
levels, but led the drama group during my NCE, and the group was one of the motivations
for the establishment of the Theatre Arts Department of the Federal College of
Education, Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State. We are code named ABUJA 1998 in the
school, due to a performance that we took to Abuja that year.

I actually learnt theatre art from traditional practitioners
like Ade Negro Theatre Group, Omo Onikoyi Theatre Group, Ijewuru Jesters
International and Ifedola Theatre Group all in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, Nigeria in
the 1980s up to the 1990s. I was also lucky to have been born into a family
where singing and dancing was prominent. My paternal grandmother was of the
Ishaga Yoruba sub-ethnic group, where the egungun art and drama was a prominent
feature, and I was duly trained in the art. My paternal grandfather too was a
singer with the indigenous Awori singers in Ado-Odo. My father, a singer was
also a great patron of the theatre art, and he always involved us. So, I have
been exposed to theatre art right from my early life, that it became my first
love and every other thing I did/do in life, I always looked for, and enjoy the
drama (theatre) involved in such.

Sandra T. Adeyeye: How long have you been practicing?

Yele: My theatre practice is close to 40 years now. I
started very early in life. From my family to those practicing groups in my
home to my adult age; forming my own performing group very early in my life, up
to my being with the likes of NTA 12, Abeokuta, where I wrote and presented for
their children show called "IT'S OUR WORLD" around 1996.

Sandra T. Adeyeye: Do you do stage or screen productions?

Yele: Both.

Sandra T. Adeyeye: What’s the difference and their
challenges?

Yele: Stage is real, but costly and stressful, and brings
little returns, except if there is/are sponsor(s).

Whereas, the screen can also be costly at times, but easy to
be managed, mistakes can be edited, less stressful, and some numbers of returns
are sure due to available multiple markets despite the piracy bedeviling the
industry.

Sandra T. Adeyeye: What’s your favorite play text?

Yele: The gods are not to blame by Ola Rotimi. I also love
and have acted his Ovaramwen Nogbaisi on stage before.

He was also available on Television, Stage Plays, Cinemas
and a Yoruba photo drama magazine called ATOKA. He was one of my numerous
mentors.

Sandra T. Adeyeye: How would you like to be remembered?

Yele: I want to be remembered as a "man who had
progressive impacts on the lives of others".

Sandra T. Adeyeye: Thank you for your time.

Yele: My pleasure.

Kindly follow YELE BALOGUN on all social media platforms.
You can also like and share this post and also leave a comment in the section
below.

SANDRA T. ADEYEYE, Author and Founder of NiWco_street

Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this story may be
used or reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the
writer, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and
certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission
requests, email the media team at: content@niwcolony.com.